Tape feeding and cutting apparatus



April 22, 1947. c. D. RYAN EIIAL TAPE FEEDING AND CUTTING APPARATUS FOR MAIL TREATING MACHINES Original Filed Dec. 11, 1940 v s Sheets-Sheet 1 COUZWZOCZOI'E D. R

Edward B l) 'April 22, 1947. c. D. RYAN ETAL 2,419,288

TAPE FEEDING 'AND CUTTING APPARATUS FOR MAIL TREATING MACHINES Original Filed Dec. 11, 1940 I 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 awua/rvbow Commodore 11 R yaw,

Edward P Drake April 1947- c. D. RYAN ET AL 2,419,288

TAPE FEEDING AND CUTTING APPARATUS FOR MAIL TREATING MACHINES Original Filed Dec. 11, 1940 Shets-Sheet s Gum-M 5.

Patented Apr. 22,1947

TAPE FEEDING AND CUTTING APPARATUS FOR MAIL TREATING MACHINES Commodore D. Ryan and Edward P. Drake, Los

Angeles, Calif assignors to Commercial Controls Corporation, a corporation of Delaware cember 11, 1940, Serial No. 369,570, now Patent No. 2,380,331, dated July 10, 1945. Divided and this application April 17, 1944, Serial No. 531,346

Original application De This invention relates generally to mail treating machines, and more particularly to tape feeding and cutting apparatus. This application is 15 Claims. (Cl. 164-49) a, division of the application of Commodore D.

Ryan andEdward P. Drake, Serial No. 369,570, filed December 11, 1940, which matured as Patent 2,380,331 dated July 10, 1945.

In a mail treating machine of the character disclosed in the application referred to above, it is desirable that the machine be able to print postage values or other indicia, as desired, on gummed tape for subsequent application to the article to be posted or otherwise marked. After the printing operation, during which the postage value is printed on the tape as it is fed through the machine, it is often desirable to sever the printed strip neatly, accurately and uniformly, so as to obtain not only uniform strips of printed tape, butalso to leave the unprinted tape in the machine in proper condition and position for subsequent printing operations.

It is accordingly among the objects of this invention to provide in such a tape printing machine efficient tape feeding and cutting mechanism which is capable. of accurately and uniformly severing the printed tape ends. Another object is to provide tape feeding and cutting mechanism which is of sufiiciently rugged construction and durability as to be capable of operating for an extended time without the necessity of repair or replacement. Other objects will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts as will be exemplified in the structure to be hereinafter described, and the scope of, the application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the drawing, wherein there is shown one the tape feeding and cutting mechanism;

Figure 4 is a detailed section taken along the line 44 of Figure 5; Y

similar to Figure 4, but showing certain of the parts in different positions of operation.

'Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the various views of the drawmg.

Referring to Figure l, the mail treating machine comprises in general a power unit III, on which is supported a meter 1 I, the meter hav-; ing a separable driving connection with thepow er unit so as to be operated together therewith upon manual operation of a crank [2. While this machine is capable of printing postage values on either envelopes or tape, the invention hereinafter disclosed is concerned only with the tape feeding and cutting aspects. Accordingly, for a detailed description of other features of the machine, ref-v arence is made to our above-noted copending application. y

As indicated, th machine is equipped to print postage on a trip of gummed tape, which tape can then be stuck to mailing matter, this feature being particularly useful for attaching postage to objects of such size or shape that they cannot be fed through the machine. To adapt the machine for printing and delivering tape, a tape handling mechanism 200 (Figure 2) may be manually swung into position to feed tape between the printing head and the platen by manually operating a hand'lever 20I (Figure 1) fastened to a shaft 202 (Figure 2) which shaft carries the tapehandling mechanism 200. After the tape handling mechanism has been swung into the operative position shown in Figure 2, tape is fed therethrough in a manner specifically described in our above-noted application until it comes to a rest at the end of theprinting cycle.

.Thus the tape extends from a suitable supply such as a roll (not shown) into the tape handling mechanism 200 passing between a peripheral bridge member 2 l5 (Figure 4) and an overlying peripheral shield 226 which is spaced radially outwardly from the bridge member 2I5 a suflicient distance to freely pass the gummed paper tape therebetween. With the machine in its normal position of rest, the tapeextends between the peripheral members 2|5 and 226 for the entir length of these members, constituting an Figure 5 is a developed plan view taken along the curved. line 5 5of Figure 4; and

arcuate guide or chute for supporting the tape in a desired path of travel extending between the printing platen (not shown) and the printing head 60 (Figure 2).

A mechanism is provided for cutting off the printed section of tape discharged from the'tape chute at the completion of the cycle. The cutting mechanism includes a stationary shear plate 249 (Figure 5) on the forward end of the tape chute over which the tape passes as it leaves the chute, and a cooperating oscillatable shear member 259 pivotally supported in the side members of the chute and adapted to be rocked downward by a lever plate 25| secured to the front end thereof. This lever plate 25! has a pair of tabs 252 and 252a which constitute handles for manual operation of the shearing mechanism and a pin 253, which pivotally connect the plate 25! to the forward end of a link 255, which link is pivotally connected by a pin 256 at its rear end to an inertia plate 251 which itself is pivotally supported by a pin 258 on the front plate of the tape-handling mechanism 255. To increase the moment of inertia of the plate 251, it may have a lower weighted portion 259 of added thickness. The oscillatable shear member 25!] is normally maintained in raised position by a tension spring 25!] stretched between the pin 253 and the frame of. the tape chute. The inertia plate 257 is normally maintained in the position shown in Figure 2 by a spring-actuated arm 26l which is also pivoted on the pin 258 immediately in front of the inertia plate 251 and bears against a lip 262 on the inertia plate. The spring-actuated arm Ztl is yieldably retained in the position described by a tension spring 263, one end of which hooks into a hole provided in. the end of the spring-actuated arm 26L and the other end of which hooksover a pin 264 on the front frame plate of the tape-handling mechanism.

The shearing mechanism can be actuated manually to cut off a section of tape at any time by pressing down on the handle 252 of the lever plate 25!, to rock the latter into the position shown in Figure 3, in which the oscillatable shearmember 25!! is moved past the stationary shear plate 249, as shown in Figurel.

The tape-cutting mechanism is normally actuated automatically at the end of each cycle of operation as follows.

. Mounted on the main operating shaft 59 immediately in front of the platen 54 is a cam 265 which cooperates with a follower roller 265 pinned to the rear side of the inertia plate 251. Early inthe cycle of operation, the cam 255 bears against the follower roller 266 and rocks the inertia plate 251 counter-clockwise, this movement of i the inertia plate being transmitted through the lip 262 to the spring-actuated arm 25! and tensioning its spring 263 which is relatively stiff. This movement also retracts the link 255 slightly further toward open position. Just before the end ofthe cycle, the follower roller 256 drops off the highsportion of the cam 265, permitting the tension spring 253 to snap the arm 25! back into normal position. This snap movementof the arm 26! is transmitted through the lip 252 to the inertia plate 25.1, imparting substantial momentum thereto so that the inertia plate continues its movement beyond the normal position of rest and, in fact, until the lip 262 encounters a rubber bumper plate 26'! on the front plate of the tape-handling mechanism. .This movement of the inertia plate rocks the oscillatable shear member 250 down past the stationary shear plate 249 to cut off the tape. The oscillatable, shear member and the inertia plate 25! are thereafter restored to their normal position by the spring 250.

The mechanism when adjusted as last described functions to cut off the tape at the. end of each cycle of operation of the machine so that each section of tape bearing a postage imprint thereon normal position shown in Figure 2 into a position displaced. about therefrom clockwise. In this position the pivot pin 253 is carried above the line interconnecting the pivot pin 256 and the axis of rotation of the lever plate 25! and the forward end of the link 255 rests against a stop surface 27f! on the front wall member of the tape-handling mechanism to limit further clockwise rotation of the lever plate 25!. This movement rocks the inertia plate 251 and the springactuated arm 25! against tension of the spring 263 and the force applied to the link 255 from the spring 253 yieldably retains the lever plate 25! in this position by virtue of the fact that the pivot pin 253 is past dead-center position. With the lever plate 25| in this position, the oscillatable shear member 259 is in the position shown in Figure 6, and the tape feeds thereunder and out over a deflecting shelf 21!. After the desired number of impressions have been printed on the continuous strip'of tape, the tape is cut by pressing against the handle 252 and rocking the lever plate 25I sufficiently to carry the pivot pin 2.53 below dead-center position, whereupon the strong spring 253 takes control and snaps the spring-actuated arm 25L the inertia plate 251 and the oscillatable shear member to cut the tape in the manner previously described. When the shearing mechanism is disabled, in the manner described, the follower roller 266 on the inertia plate 251 is clear of the cam 265 so that it is not actuated thereby.

The shelf 21! is constituted by the base of a yoke member having flanged portions 212 which are pivotally supported on pins 213 into the side members of. the tape-handling mechanism. A tension spring 2M, stretched between a pin 215 on one of the flanges 212 and a pin 216 on the corresponding side frame of the tape-handling mechanism normally maintains the shelf 2' in the position shown in Figure 6, in which one of the flanges rests against a stop pin 2T1. Positioned immediately above the shelf 2' when the latter is in its normalposition (Figure 6) is a cross pin 279 supported between the extended side members of the tape-handling mechanism, and the tape feeds between the shelf 21;! and the pin 2T9. v

The shelf 2' is slightly curvedto direct the tape upwardly so that it may be easily grasped and removed from the machine after printing and cutting off (Figure 4). The pin 219 is located centrally between the edges of the shelf, and is positioned so that the bottom side of. the. pin. is about flush or even a little below the upturned edges of the shelf 2ll, so that asthe tape is projected between the pin 219 and the curved shelf 21 I, it will'curve upwardly; Due to the fact that the fibers in the tape have been oppositely stressed, by winding on the roll, the tape has a tendency to bend in the opposite direction to that of the curved shelf 21!. Thus the tape. is frictionally held between the pin 219: and shelf 2H after cutting, untilremoved i It will now be seen that we have provided a tape cutting device for a tape cutting machine which fulfills the several objects set forth hereinabove in a thoroughly efficient manner... a

As many possible embodiments may be made of the above invention and as many changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understoodthat all matterhereinbefore set forth or shown in the accompanying drawing is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

We claim: I

1. 'In a machine for treatingtape: a tape chute having a discharge end, cyclically operable means for moving tape through said chute and treating it, driving means for actuating said cyclically operable means, and tape-cutting means including an oscillatable shear means at the discharge end of said chute, means for actuating said oscillatable shear means, comprising ja'first oscillatable member coupled to said shear means for movement therewith, a second oscillatable member coaxial with said first oscillatable member, and abutting means onsaid first and second members for limiting relative motion in one direction therebetween, spring means yieldably restraining said second member in a predetermined position in which said abutting surfaces are in contact and said shear means is open, means actuated by said driving means for deflecting said first member in a direction to engage said abutting surfaces and first displace said two members and said oscillatable shear means in a direction to open said shear means, and then release said first member, whereby said spring restores said second member to normal position and imparts momentum to said first member, whereby it continues its travel past normal position to close said shear means and shear said tape.

2. Apparatus as described in claim 1 in which said means for deflecting said first member in.- cludes a cam on said driving means.

3. Apparatus as described in claim 1 in which said oscillatable shear means is spaced from said first oscillatable member and coupled thereto by a connecting rod, said shear means being movable in opening direction a distance sufiicient to carry said connecting rod past dead-center and prevent said shear means from being returned toward closed position by the tension of said spring, and stop means for limiting oscillation of said shear means past said dead-center, whereby said oscillatable shear means is yieldably retained in open position by said spring means.

4. In a mail treating machine in which tape is fed through a chute, the combination of, a pair of normally separated shearing jaws adjacent the delivery end of said chute, means mounting one of said jaws for movement relative to the other jaw to shear the tape extendin therebetween, linkage means including a plate attached to said one jaw, cam means operable during the tape feeding operation and engageable with said plate for further opening said one jaw, and spring means associated with said plate for snapping said one jaw past the other jaw to shear the tape extending therebetween.

5. In a mail treating machine in which tape is fed through a chute, the combination of, a pair of normally separated shearing jaws adjacent the delivery end of said chute, means mounting one of said jaws for movement relative to the other to shear the tape extending therebetween, linkage means including a plate attached to said one jaw, cam means operable during the tape feeding operation and engageable with said plate for further opening said one jaw, spring means for snapping said one J'aw past the other to shear the tape extending therebetween, and a spring 6 for returning said one jaw to its initialposition after the shearing operation.

6. Ina mail treating machine in which tape is fed through a chute, the combination of, a pair of normally separated shearing plates adjacent the delivery end of said chute, means-mounting one of said plates for movement relative to the other plate to shear the tape extending therebetween, means including a spring operatively associated with said one plate, means for. tensioning said spring whereby upon release said spring moves said one plate past the other plate to shear the tape extendin therebetween,. and a second spring for returning said one plate to its initial position. l

7.. Ina'mail treatingmachine in which tape is fed through a chute, the combination of, a pair of, normally separated shearing plates adjacent the delivery end ofsaid chute, means mounting one of said plates for movement relative to the other plate to shear the tape extending therebetween, means including a spring operatively associated with said one plate, means for tensioning said spring whereby upon release said spring moves said one plate past the other plate to shear the tape extending therebetween, and means for increasing the inertia of said first-mentioned means whereby said one plate is snapped past the other plate upon release of said spring.

8. In a mail treating machine in which tape is fed through a chute, the combination of, a pair of normally separated shearing plates adjacent the delivery end of said chute, means mounting one of said plates for movement relative to the other plate to shear the tape extending therebetween, means including a spring operatively associated with said one plate, means for tensioning said spring whereby upon release said spring moves said one plate past the other plate to shear the tape extending therebetween, and means for rendering said first-mentioned means ineffective so that a continuous strip of tape may be printed.

9. In a mail treating machine in which tape is fed through a chute, the combination of, a pair of normally separated shearing plates adjacent the delivery end of said chute, means moimting one of said plates for movement relative to the other plate to shear the tape extending therebetween, linkage means attached to said one plate, cam means operable during the printing operation and engageable with said linkage means for furtheropening said one plate, spring means for snapping said one plate past the other plate to shear the tape extending therebetween, and means rendering said cam ineffective during the printing cycle so that said plates remain separated to permit printing of a continuous strip of tape.

10. In a mail treating machin in which tape is fed through a chute, the combination of, a pair of normally separated shearing jaws adjacent the delivery end of said chute, means mounting one of said jaws for movement relative to the other to shear the tape extending therebetween, a link pivotally connected at one end to said one jaw, a pivotable plate pivotally connected to the other end of said link, a rotatable cam for pivoting said plate and accordingly said one jaw in a direction to move said one jaw farther away from the other, and spring-biased means engageable with I said plate during its initial jaw opening movement for urging said plate in the opposite direction to close said jaws, said spring-biased means disengaging said plate during the latter portion of the plates jaw closing movement.

+11; --In.a:ma1i-treating machine in which tape is fed through a chute,1the combination of, apair of "normallyseparated shearing jaws adjacent the delivery end of said chute, means mounting one of said jaws for movement relative to the other to shear tape extending therebetween, means including a 'pivotable plate connected to one of said jaws, a cam for initially-pivoting said plate in a. direction for further separating said jaws, and spring-biased means engageable with said plate during .its initial jaw opening movement for :urging said plate in the opposite direction to close said jaws, said spring-biased means disengaging said :plateduring the latter portion of the plates jaw closing movement.

12. Apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the spring-biased means includes an arm mounted for pivotal movement relative to said plate.

13. Apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said plat includes a lip and said spring-biased means includes an arm engageable with said lip and mounted for pivotal movement relative to said plate, whereby said arm engages said'lip to move said plate in one direction.

M. Apparatus according to claim :11 wherein means are-provided for moving said plate to a position wherein the cam is ineffective to move the plate so that a continuous strip of tape may be printed.

15. Apparatus according to claim .11 wherein inertia means are associated with said plate for increasing its momentum during its jaw closing movement.

COMMODORE D. RYAN. EDWARD P. DRAKE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 141,314 Braidwood et a1 Ju1yi29, 1873 2,141,119 Wheeler, Jr. et a1. Dec. 20, 1938 863,591 Coy Aug. 20, 1907 1,938,095 Conti Dec. 5, 1933 2,273,272 Knauer Feb. 17, 1942 2,273,300 Thatcher et a1., Feb. 17, 1942 

